Her breath hitched in her throat as she waited for his response. There was a tense atmosphere that made her feel really uncomfortable. She expected him to be disgusted; not with Frank, for what he did, but with her, for letting it happen. Even though it wasn't her fault. He sat in shock for a few seconds, but to her, it felt more like hours.
"Say somethin'." Her voice cracked as yet more hot tears spilled down her cheeks.
"I'll flamin' kill 'im." Liam stated quietly, though Carla had heard every single word he'd said, as if it had been screamed into her ear and had echoed within her mind. She began to panic, shaking her head as she warned him not to tell anyone.
"No, Liam. Right, you 'ave to promise me, okay, promise me that you won't say out to anybody."
Liam too began to shake his head, "Car,"
"Promise me, Liam!" She pleaded.
He stood still for a while. Hating the look of fear in her eyes, he begrudgingly agreed. "Okay." he mumbled. "But we still need to talk about this. Properly, I mean."
Carla nodded her agreement. "We will. I'll tell you everything but, please, don't say anything to anyone. I'm begging you, Liam. I just- I couldn't cope, with everyone knowing."
He bit his lip as tears started to flow down his cheeks. He didn't know what to do for the best. He pulled her in close to him, wrapping his arms around her tightly and just cried.
The sound of him sobbing into her hair broke her heart, but she couldn't help but feel comforted by his embrace, after being so sure that he'd find her disgusting once he'd discovered the truth. She just felt relieved that he hadn't pushed her away as she'd originally feared he would.
It was just past ten o'clock, Michelle and Rob were cuddled up together in Michelle's bed. Using her finger tips, Michelle traced little patterns on his bare chest as he hugged her close to him.
"I think it's time we made a move." Rob said.
Michelle sighed. "Do we 'ave to?" She looked up at Rob with her puppy dog eyes and sad pouting lips. Rob chuckled at the expression. "I told your brother we'd only be an hour."
"And?" Michelle questioned.
"And, it's been well over that as it is. He might be worried about ya." Rob replied, removing his arm from around his girlfriend and stepping out of the bed to find his clothes.
Michelle scoffed as she sat up in the bed, crossing her arms in a rather childlike sulk. "I doubt that very much. He's probably too busy drooling over your Carla to even notice that we're not there."
Rob turned to face her immediately. "Why do you say that?" He asked with a frown.
"Oh don't tell me you 'aven't noticed." Michelle teased.
"Michelle," He said rather abruptly. "Noticed what?!"
"I mean, it's clear as day 'ow much our Liam fancies 'er," She smirked.
Rob scoffed at the remark. "No chance. Carla wouldn't be interested in 'im, anyroad." He spoke with uncertainty. Michelle giggled at how wound up he appeared to be at the idea of his sister and her brother becoming an item.
"Yeah, yeah. You just keep tellin' yaself that, Roberto." Michelle continued to tease as she picked up the magazine sitting next to the bed and flicked through the pages.
Rob's mind started to do overtime. The thought of Carla and Liam together made his over protectiveness of his sister kick-in. Carla had never really had a boyfriend before, and any lad that had so much as looked at his sister was soon warned off. Even though he was quite good friends with Liam, and Liam had always been okay with the fact him and Michelle were together, he still couldn't quite accept him as a potential partner for his sister. She was too good for him.
"Just get dressed will you." He snapped at Michelle, throwing her clothes at her.
Michelle glared at him in a fury as he walked out of the room and left her to get dressed alone. "Idiot." She muttered under her breath as she too stepped out of the bed to get dressed.
Saturday 5th October, 1991.
It was about nine o'clock in the morning. Frank was sitting on the edge of the bed in the hotel room. He'd been up and showered already, and was currently getting dressed. Sharon was still lying in bed, fast asleep.
As he was adjusting his tie, she began to stir. He turned his head to watch her. Her arm reached out across to the other pillow where she expected to find him lying next to her, only to be met with cold, empty sheets instead. She groaned as she opened her eyes and looked around the room, spotting him sat at the end of the bed. She smiled.
"What you doing up so early?" she asked, her voice hoarse.
Frank turned back to finish doing his tie. "Thought I'd grab a shower before you woke up... knew you'd be in there all day otherwise." he lied.
In all honesty, he hadn't really slept much throughout the night. His thoughts were on fire thinking of his step-daughter at home. He missed her, more than he imagined possible.
"Hmm," Sharon hummed. She pulled the covers off her half naked body and started to crawl down the bed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered seductively into his ear. "Well now you've 'ad yer shower, hows about we get dirty again, 'ey?" She nipped his earlobe gently.
He smirked, but removed her arms from around his neck. Standing up and turning to face her he replied, "I'd rather not, if it's all the same with you."
Sharon sat back, feeling a little rejected. "Oh come on, it's the first time we've been away from the kids in ages... let's 'ave some fun!"
Frank started to grow annoyed at her whining. "I said no." he stated sternly. "Is that all you fucking think about?" he spat.
She scoffed, she jumped up from the bed. She was fed up with this, this constant feeling of being rejected, knowing that if it had been her precious Carla whispering all-sorts into his ear, he would have given her exactly what she'd wanted. "You know what, Frank?" she said coldly. "You will give me what I want."
Frank smirked at her as she slowly began to walk around the bed and towards him.
"Is that right?" he questioned mockingly.
"Oh yeah, it is." Sharon continued. "Because if you don't start treating me with a bit more respect, you're gonna seriously regret meeting me my love."
Frank now laughed at her pathetic audacity to try and threaten him. "Ooh, what you gonna do? Stop me sleeping with you?" He chuckled again.
"No." Sharon stated calmly. "But I'll stop you sleeping with my daughter."
The smile immediately dropped from his face. His blood was boiling under the surface; who the fuck did this woman think she was? How dare she threaten to take away his girl. He cracked an evil smile before angrily pushing his hand against her throat and pinning her down onto the bed.
Her eyes were wide and fearful as he pushed his weight down on her. Her hands were on his, trying to pry them away from her neck. His face was turning a bright red as he spat through gritted teeth. "Don't you dare try and threaten me." He squeezed her neck a little tighter, making it harder for her to breathe. "We had a deal, if you remember." he said, referring back to the beginning of their relationship.
Sunday 14th March, 1982.
The room was dimly lit and it was difficult to see through all the hazy smoke that filled the air. Sharon Donovan and Frank Foster were sat at the kitchen table of their recently bought home. A bottle of vodka sat between them as they sat staring at each other in a comfortable silence. Sharon refused to remove her eyes from her partner as she put the cigarette to her mouth and inhaled deeply, and then blew the intoxicating smoke out and into her lover's face. He was unphased.
"We need to talk." He finally spoke, breaking the silence.
"About what?" Sharon replied, her voice seemingly cold and uncaring.
"About our plans. Or my plans, to be exact." Frank told her.
Sharon stumped out the burning fag before looking up to her partner again.
"Go on." she encouraged, crossing her arms and leaning them over the table.
Frank stared at her curiously for a minute. He wasn't entirely sure about how she was going to react to what he was about to say, though he thought he had a pretty good idea. After all, he knew her better than she knew herself sometimes. He'd been close friends with her uncle for many years before they'd even met. That was how he had known so about much about her.
He sat up and entwined his fingers together as his eyes penetrated the woman sat before him. He stated calmly, "I, am going to fuck your daughter." He smiled smugly. "And you're going to help me do it."
Sharon's eyes widened in shock. Had she just heard that right? Her arms slowly uncrossed and dropped to her lap as she took in every word he had said. Her eyes averted away from his and, as the intial shock began to wear off, she shook her head in disapproval.
"You are going to help me, aren't you Sharon?" He spoke in a patronising tone, as if he were speaking to a child.
"Are you insane?" she replied.
"Oh come on, Sharon." Frank stood up from his chair and made his way around the table. He stood leaning over her, invading her personal space. His one arm was resting on the back of her chair and the other on the table in front of her. His face was mere inches away from hers and he could have sworn he could see a glimpse of fear in her eyes. "I'm not going to hurt her. It's just sex." He told her. "I'm not your uncle, okay? I know what he did to you, it was awful. But I promise, I would never beat a child. But it's like we already agreed in the past, isn't it? Every little girl has to go through this at some stage. It's a dad's right to take their daughter's virginity, before any other sad excuse for a boy takes it from them. We are protecting her. Like your uncle was protecting you.. you were just too young to see it at the time. But you're starting to understand it now, aren't you?"
Sharon frighteningly nodded her head in reply to him. She looked very childlike in this moment and it turned Frank on to see her appear so vulnerable before him. She was so easy to manipulate, he couldn't help but smirk.
"Well maybe this is exactly what you need to understand what you went through? Maybe if you let me... protect Carla, you'll be able to realise that what your uncle did to you, and what your ex-husband did to you was actually right. That they only had your best interests at heart, love." He noticed her eyes begin to brim with tears. Her voice cracked as she tried to answer back.
"I just- I don't want Carla to have to suffer like I did, ya know?" She silently pleaded with him.
Frank chuckled. His knees cracked as he lowered his body so he was sat on his tip toes. He raised his hand up to stroke her hair. "She won't suffer. Don't you see? That's what I'm tryin' to tell you. The best thing you could ever do for that girl is agree to let me have her. You know I'd be good to her. I've already been good to you all, haven't I? I moved you out of that stinking little flat and into this lovely house- our home. I can give her, and you, anything and everything that you've always wanted. Sweetheart, all I want in return is a bit of love and comfort... And you can't tell me a little girl like Carla wouldn't want the same?"
Sharon smiled. Her naïve mind starting to see things as Frank told her, "You do love her, don't you?" she said warmly. "You wouldn't hurt her."
Frank's face beamed. "No, of course I wouldn't. I only want what's best." He started to feel a slight rush of adrenaline as he saw her coming around to the idea. Until the smile dropped from her face once again and she started to protest.
"But-" he started to grow impatient now. He needed to up his game. He was going to sleep with Carla, whether Sharon liked it or not. His manner turned more threatening. His grip on her hair started to become a little rough as his voice spoke in a tone of warning.
"And," he interrupted her, stopping her from saying anymore. "If you don't agree to this, I will make sure your life is a living hell. If I can't have this one simple thing from you.. I can assure you I will hurt you in more ways than you can possibly imagine. I will beat, and I will fuck you as and when I please, and believe me, I won't even think twice about doing the same to your children.. to both your children. So, what's it gonna be?"
Tears stung her eyes as she desperately tried to break free from under his grip. Frank's elbow was pressed hard against her stomach, stopping her from being able to wriggle free. "Is this how your uncle used to do it?" he started to maliciously goad her. "When he used to fuck you as a child? Did he hold you down like this, 'ey?" He loosened his grip slightly and she managed to shove him off her.
Her fingers were twitching with anger as she jabbed a finger in his direction, "Don't you ever mention my uncle again, do you hear me?! I told you that in confidence, you bastard."
She sank down onto the bed, trying to keep her emotions under control as flashbacks from her own childhood came rushing back to her. Frank began to soften. He walked towards the bed and sat down next to her. "I know it was hard for you." He softly spoke, before going onto manipulate her further, the same way he'd done for years. "But I thought we'd told you, your uncle and I, what did we say?" he pressed perversely.
Sharon stared down at the floor with an empty expression. "You said-" she stopped.
Frank's hand moved to rest on her thigh, and he started to massage it. "Go on." he encouraged.
Sharon bit her lip as she pulled herself out from a daze. "You said-" Her voice cracked as she completed the sentence. "-that all little girls must go through it."
Frank smirked. His other hand reached up to caress her hair. "That's right. Your uncle was only doing what was right, taking your virginity before any other lad had the chance to take it from you. He wanted what was best for you, like we want what's best for Carla, don't we?" He pulled her face towards him and laid a rough kiss against her lips. "And, ya know, she may not thank us for it at the moment, but she'll soon understand. Like you now understand, don't you? We give her everything; a warm loving home, food, drink, clothes, money- anything. And all we ask for in return? ...It's not much, is it sweetheart?"
Sharon gently nodded her head. "She just.. she doesn't understand?" She said, trying to convince herself more than anything. "But she will, when she's older, yeah?" She looked up to Frank who smiled.
"Of course." he said, before pecking her on the nose. "Now hows about we get you dressed and I take us both out for a slap up dinner, 'ey? Come on." He pulled her up from the bed, and helped her to remove her underwear, before picking out what clothes she would wear for the day.